Free Bed Bug Seminar On July 10, 2014

Batzner Bed Bug Services, Inc. will be hosting their 4th Annual Bed Bug Seminar at the Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield Hotel at 375 S. Moorland Road in Brookfield on Thursday, July 10, 2014. The seminar will run from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm.

The seminar is FREE and includes lunch.

Topics will include basic bed bug information, bed bug history, bed bug monitoring, challenges, and trends and legal issues pertaining to bed bug. The seminar will also include a panel discussion and a demonstration by Batzner's bed bug scent detection canine team.

A copy of the detailed brochure can be viewed by clicking here.

I will be presenting on the topic of "Legal Issues Pertaining to Bed Bugs and How Landlords Can Protect Themselves" and will be speaking at approximately 1:15 pm

Pre-registration is required.

So far there are 100 attendees pre-registered. This should be a great event and well worth the cost . . . . oh wait, there is no cost - it is FREE!

Hope to see many of you there.

T

SEMINAR - Business Killers: Avoiding The 6 Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Business and Your Future

As I always mention at the outset of my seminars, landlording is a business. Many landlords do not understand this and do not treat it as such resulting in many problems. Most people would not dare to open a restaurant or a cell phone store or any other kind of business without putting together a business plan and learning about the laws and rules regarding their new business -- yet new landlords do this all the time to their own detriment.

While this blog is primarily focused on landlord tenant law, occasionally I post about general business matters or mention a upcoming business seminar because such information is still applicable to landlords and management companies, as they are running a business. Today is one such post.

Atty. Carina Garcia of my law firm, Petrie & Stocking S.C., will be providing a free seminar called "Business Killer: Avoiding the 6 Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Business and Your Future" on Friday, June 20, 2014 at 8 am at the Milwaukee Athletic Club located at 758 N. Broadway in downtown Milwaukee.

There is no cost to attend this seminar and a light breakfast will be served.

If you are interested in learning some best practices about how to run your business and how not to squander all the wealth and time that you have put into your business -- whether the business be landlording or something else -- than you should attend this seminar.

Pre-registration is required. You can pre-register by contacting Attorney Garcia directly at (414) 276-2850 or via email at cgarcia@petriepettit.com. Pre-registration must be completed prior to June 9th.

Only 7 Days Left To Sign Up For Landlord Boot Camp on March 8th

There are just 7 days left to register for Landlord Boot Camp!!!

Come learn about Wisconsin's new Landlord Tenant law – Act 76 – plus everything else you need to know about Landlord-Tenant law in Wisconsin.

The Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin's 9th “Landlord Boot Camp" can help you navigate these treacherous waters and learn how to run your properties with greater profit and less hassles.

Who: Taught by Attorney Tristan Pettit, who drafts the landlord tenant forms for Wisconsin Legal Blank

When: March 8th, 2014 Saturday 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM Registration opens at 7:00 AM

Where: Clarion Hotel 5311 S. Howell Avenue, Milwaukee [Map]

Included: 100 plus page manual to help you put what you learn into practice.

Price: Members $159. Non-Members $249

You will also receive lunch.

Specials: Not a member? Pay just $1 more than the non-member price and receive both the Boot Camp and an AASEW membership for the remainder of 2014 including member discounts at Home Depot, Sherwin Williams and more.

Wisconsin landlord-tenant laws are constantly changing and with Act 76 becoming effect on March 1^st --- the law has had some significant changes.

What you will learn at the Apartment Association's 2014 Landlord Boot Camp:

Landlord Boot Camp covers everything that you need to know about residential Landlord Tenant law in Wisconsin, as amended in March 2012 by Act 143 and again in March 2013 with the passage of Act 76, including:

1. How to properly screen prospective tenants.
2. How to draft written screening criteria to assist you in the selection process.
3. How to comply with both federal and state Fair Housing laws including how to comply with “reasonable modifications" and “reasonable accommodations" requests.
4. How to legally reject an applicant.
5. What rental documents you should be using and why.
6. When you should be using a 5-day notice versus a 14-day notice, 28-day notice, or 30-day notice and how to properly serve the notice on your tenant.
7. Everything you wanted to know (and probably even more than you wanted to know) about the Residential Rental Practices (ATCP 134) and how to avoid having to pay double damages to your tenant for breaching ATCP 134.
8. When you are legally allowed to enter your tenant's apartment.
9. How to properly draft an eviction summons and complaint.
10. What to do to keep the commissioner or judge from dismissing your eviction suit.
11. What you can legally deduct from a security deposit.
12. How to properly draft a security deposit transmittal ("21 Day") letter
13. How to handle pet damage.
14. What to do with a tenant's abandoned property and how this may affect whether or not you file an eviction suit.
15. How to pursue your ex-tenant for damages to your rental property and past due rent (and whether it is even worth it to do so).
16. Who can appear in court to handle an eviction as of March 1^st.
17. What language you must have in your rental agreement starting March 1^st or risk a court declaring it void and unenforceable.

Last year's AASEW Landlord Boot Camp was filled to capacity. So call early to reserve your spot.

The easiest way to register is to do so online at www.LandlordBootCamp2014.com or you can call the Association at (414) 276-7378 or email them membership@apartmentassoc.org today to reserve your spot.

Hope to see many of you there.

T

JUST ANNOUNCED: AASEW's Next Landlord Boot Camp - Saturday, March 8, 2014

Landlording can be pretty complex, with a seemingly never ending myriad of paperwork, rules, landlord-tenant laws and simple mistakes that can cost you thousands.

The Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin's 9th “Landlord Boot Camp" can help you navigate these treacherous waters and learn how to run your properties with greater profit and less hassles.

Who: Taught by Attorney Tristan Pettit, who drafts the landlord tenant forms for Wisconsin Legal Blank

When: March 8th, 2014 Saturday 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM Registration opens at 7:00 AM

Where: Clarion Hotel 5311 S. Howell Avenue, Milwaukee [Map]

Included: 100 plus page manual to help you put what you learn into practice.

Price: Members $159. Non-Members $249

Specials: Not a member? Pay just $1 more than the non member price and receive both the Boot Camp and an AASEW membership for the remainer of 2014 including member discounts at Home Depot, Sherwin Williams and more.

Wisconsin landlord-tenant laws are constantly changing. To help keep you up to date we offer prior attendees a $50 discount.

What you will learn at the Apartment Association's 2014 Landlord Boot Camp

Landlord Boot Camp covers everything that you need to know about residential Landlord Tenant law in Wisconsin, as amended in March 2012 by Act 143 and again in March 2013 with the passage of Act 76, including:

1. How to properly screen prospective tenants.
2. How to draft written screening criteria to assist you in the selection process.
3. How to comply with both federal and state Fair Housing laws including how to comply with “reasonable modifications" and “reasonable accommodations" requests.
4. How to legally reject an applicant.
5. What rental documents you should be using and why.
6. When you should be using a 5-day notice versus a 14-day notice, 28-day notice, or 30-day notice and how to properly serve the notice on your tenant.
7. Everything you wanted to know (and probably even more than you wanted to know) about the Residential Rental Practices (ATCP 134) and how to avoid having to pay double damages to your tenant for breaching ATCP 134.
8. When you are legally allowed to enter your tenant's apartment.
9. How to properly draft an eviction summons and complaint.
10. What to do to keep the commissioner from dismissing your eviction suit.
11. What you can legally deduct from a security deposit.
12. How to properly draft a security deposit transmittal ("21 Day") letter
13. How to handle pet damage.
14. What to do with a tenant's abandoned property and how this may affect whether or not you file an eviction suit.
15. How to pursue your ex-tenant for damages to your rental property and past due rent (and whether it is even worth it to do so).
16. An ample question and answer period. This alone is worth the admission. . . . and much more.

You get all this for less than you would pay for an hour of an attorney's time.

Last year's AASEW Landlord Boot Camp was filled to capacity. So call early to reserve your spot.

The easiest way to register is to do so online at www.LandlordBootCamp2014.com or you can call the Association at (414) 276-7378 or email them membership@apartmentassoc.org today to reserve your spot.

Hope to see many of you there.

T

Why I Am So Excited About This Saturday's AASEW Landlord Boot Camp

I am really excited about this Saturday's AASEW Landlord Boot Camp. Why you ask? Well let me tell you.

Just last week the Senate in Madison passed SB 179 which is a very large and sweeping revision to much of landlord-tenant law in Wisconsin. This bill not only cleans up the unintended consequences of last years Act 143, it also makes some major changes such as:

- Applies the new streamlined abandoned property law to evictions

- Allows the towing of vehicles on private property without the need for a citation to be issued first

- Prevents municipalities from requiring landlords to distribute information or report information to the government that is not required by state or federal law

- Allows non-lawyers to appear in court to represent their LLC's in eviction and other small claims actions

- It speeds up the eviction process - requiring the court to hear and complete an eviction trial within 20 days of the return date

- Allows property management companies or another agent of the owner to file evictions on behalf of their clients/owners

- Clears up the confusion regarding evicting a tenant that was involved in criminal activity

This bill has not yet been signed into law, but barring a veto from Governor Walker -- which is not anticipated -- it will become law very soon. SB 179 will help landlords and good law-abiding tenants alike.

So the reason I am so excited about this Saturday's Boot Camp is because it will be the 1st opportunity I have to teach landlords and property managers about the new changes.

SB 179 is a very comprehensive law. I just completed my outline this past weekend and boy there is a lot of information to cover.

If you are interested in learning about this new bill as well as the 7 other large topics that I will be teaching (including: the judicial eviction process, causes for eviction, security deposit issues, screening applicants, rental documents and much much more) at this Fall's Boot Camp -- please go to www.landlordbootcamp2013.com and sign up as there are still a few spots left!

I hope to see many of you there.

T

AASEW's Landlord Boot Camp On October 26th To Address New Landlord Tenant Law Soon To Be Passed

Be the first on your block to learn about the new Landlord-Tenant law which is expected to be passed later this month!

The AASEW's popular Landlord Boot Camp will address the ins and outs of the new law (currently referred to as Senate Bill 179) on Saturday, October 26, 2013 from 8:30 am - 5:30 pm at the Clarion Hotel located near the airport. You will not want to miss this seminar.

Besides teching you about the new law, Attorney Tristan Pettit will also address numerous other of topics that will help you navigate Wisconsin's complex landlord - tenant laws. Learn how to run your properties with greater profit while staying out of trouble. Landlording can be pretty complex, with a seemingly never ending myriad of paperwork, rules, landlord-tenant laws and simple mistakes that can cost you thousands.

Some of the other topics that will be covered include:

1) How to properly screen prospective tenants

2) How to draft written screening criteria to assist you in the tenant selection process

3) How to comply with both federal and state Fair Housing laws including how to comply with “reasonable modifications" and “reasonable accommodations" requests

4) How to legally reject an applicant

5) What rental documents you should be using and why

6) When you should be using a 5-day notice versus a 14-day notice, 28-day notice, or 30-day notice and how to properly serve the notice on your tenant

7) Everything you wanted to know (and probably even more than you wanted to know) about the Residential Rental Practices (ATCP 134) and how to avoid having to pay double damages to your

tenant for breaching ATCP 134

8) When you are legally allowed to enter your tenant's apartment

9) How to properly draft an eviction summons and complaint

10) What to do to keep the commissioner or judge from dismissing your eviction lawsuit

11) What you can legally deduct from a security deposit

12) How to properly draft a security deposit transmittal ("21 day") letter

13) How to handle pet damage

14) What to do with a tenant's abandoned property and how this may affect whether or not you file an eviction suit

15) How to pursue your ex-tenant for damages to your rental property and past due rent (and whether it is even worth it to do so)

There will also be time for "Q&A" and Lunch is included!

If that is not enough you will also receive a manual that is over 100 pages that includes all of Tristan's outlines on the various topics and various forms.

Who: Taught by Attorney Tristan Pettit, who drafts the landlord tenant forms for Wisconsin Legal Blank.

When: Saturday, October 26, 2013 from 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM ---- Registration opens at 7:00 AM

Where: Clarion Hotel 5311 S. Howell Avenue, Milwaukee [Map]

Price: AASEW Members only $159 . Non AASEW Members - $249 Sorry, no registrations accepted after 5 PM on October 23rd, 2013

Register: Go to www.LandlordBootCamp2013.com and you can register online and read prior attendees testimonials.

I hope to see everyone there.

T

Don't Miss The Landlording Event of The Year - AASEW Trade Show on Friday, September 27th

Hello Everyone --- The event of the year -- the AASEW's Conference & Trade Show -- will be held in a little more than 1 week.

You will not want to miss this great event at its new location at Potawatomi Bingo Casino.

When: Friday, September 27, 2103 from 11 am - 4:30 pm (Doors open at 10 am)

Where: Potawatomi Bingo Casino, 1721 West Canal Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233

How Much? Free to all Landlords with pre-registration at www.apartmentassoc.org otherwise the cost will be $10 at the door.

Doors open at 10 to allow you time to meet with and learn about all of the great products and services of our vendors.

Complimentary food will be available throughout the day.

The first even will start at 11 am when we will be presenting an very special award to Wisconsin Senator Frank Lasee for all of his work and support in getting last year's Act 143 (Landlord Omnibus Law) passes and advancing Senate Bill 179 which will (hopefully) soon be law later this fall.

The award presentation will be followed by various seminars throughout the day. I will be presenting a seminar at 3:30 pm on "Legal Issues Pertaining to Bed Bugs and How Landlords Can Protect Themselves." The other seminars that will be offered are listed below.

• 11:15 - Social Media: Are you doing it right?
• 11:15 - Bed bugs in a multi-family environment
• 12:30 - I'm on Linked In, Now What?
• 12:30 - Making the Grade: Financing Your Investment Property
• 1:30 - Mold - Be Prepared, Not Afraid
• 1:30 - Working with Milwaukee's Dept of Neighborhood Services
• 2:30 - Rental Collectsion into the 21st Century
• 2:30 - Multi Family Energy Savings Program
• 3:30 - Milwaukee County Evictions
• 3:30 - Legal Issues Pertaining to Bed Bugs and How Landlords Can Protect Themselves

Following the seminars we will be having several raffle prizes including giving away an iPad -- you must be present to win.

AASEW Meeting: Is Property Management An Art or A Science? - June 17, 2013 at 7 pm.

Join the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin on June 17th as we have masters of the craft present on Best Practices in Property Management along with the legal ramifications of failing to follow the rules. SE Wisconsin is clearly a pro tenant district so educate yourself to the possible landmines that await you along with what some are doing to avoid them. It will be an educational night with many real world anecdotes -- that I am sure you will be able to relate to -- and practical real world advice you can apply to your business to protect your assets and increase your profits!

When: Monday, June 17, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.

Where: The Best Western, 1005 S. Moorland Road, Brookfield 53005

Who: Attorney Tristan Pettit and Professional Property Manager Stacy Hegg

Cost: Free for current AASEW members, $25 for guests and expired members.

About our speakers

Attorney Tristan Pettit, drafts many of the standardized landlord tenant forms for Wisconsin Legal Blank. Tristan is in eviction court nearly every week representing many members of the Association and other landlords. Tristan presents Landlord Boot Camp for the Association twice a year. He also presents similar courses for attorneys across the state.

Tristan R. Pettit is a shareholder with the Milwaukee law firm of Petrie & Stocking S.C. which has been in existence for over 115 years assisting individuals, families and businesses throughout the state. He focuses his practice in the area of general civil and business litigation with an emphasis on landlord-tenant law.

Mr. Pettit handles both commercial and residential evictions and the accompanying damages claims for his clients throughout the state. He has also been involved in litigation dealing with lead-based paint, bedbugs, Fair Housing (discrimination) claims, building code orders, public nuisance lawsuits, and both the prosecution and defense of Wisconsin Administrative Code - ATCP 134 violations.

He assists clients with the drafting and interpretation of commercial leases and residential rental agreements and other rental documents and is the author of the landlord-tenant legal forms sold at Wisconsin Legal Blank Co., Inc., which are used throughout the state.

Mr. Pettit presents seminars on landlord-tenant law and related matters throughout the state and is a past president of the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc. and is currently serving on its Board of Directors. He also is the author of a popular Wisconsin landlord-tenant law blog that can be found at www.LandlordTenantLawBlog.com

Stacy Hegg is a professional property manager who has more than 20 years experience in multi-housing management in the Greater Milwaukee Area.

Stacy's career commenced as a Leasing Consultant at a large market rate community in Glendale while attending Cardinal Stritch College. Upon graduation Stacy became a full time Property Manager on a unique, Section 42 renovation on 24th and Wells. Her extensive and varied experience extends from Section 42 and Section 8 communities to luxury developments. She has managed multi-family portfolios for professional realty companies such as: Ogden, Bielinski, and Bryce Styza Properties. She managed Cedar Square Apartments on the Marquette University Campus for 2 years and currently manages for Wellston Apartments where she oversees a 400 unit portfolio near UW-Milwaukee.

Top 10 Pitfalls That Landlords Should Avoid

Those of you that missed the last AASEW membership meeting on Monday, April 15, 2013, missed a great meeting and a great presentation. The featured presenter was John "Dr. Rent" Fischer, a Wausau-area landlord and rental property manager, who spoke to a packed house that Monday. John's presentation was dynamic, educational and at times pretty darn funny.

With John's permission, I am providing you with a link to John's handout from the meeting which was entitled "Top Ten Pitfalls That Landlords Should Avoid."

Like any good Top 10 list (a la David Letterman), John presented these pitfalls in reverse oreder based on importance. The pitfalls to avoid included:

10. Mailing the 5 Day Notice

9. Digging The Hole Too Deep

8. Incomplete Applications

7. Not Asking The Right People (about your rental applicant)

6. Auto-Renewing A Lease

5. 14 Day Notice (or NOT)

4. "Do-It-Yourself" Leases or Rental Forms

3. Misuse of CCAP

2. Carpet Cleaning

1. That Lease is HOW LONG?

As John stated during his presentation, there are a lot of things that are beyond our control that make life as a landlord very difficult at times. As such, we certainly do not want to make life more difficult for ourselves based on a lack of knowledge of landlord-tenant laws . . . unless we are masochists, that is.

The AASEW has another great meeting scheduled for May 20, 2013 at 7 pm at the Best Western Midway in Brookfield about "How To Finance Real Estate Transactions In The Current Economy."

Next AASEW Meeting: Dr. Rent's Top Ten Landlording Pitfalls To Avoid - April 15th

The AASEW's next meeting will feature Dr. Rent's TOP TEN Landlording Pitfalls to Avoid

When: Monday April 15th, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.

Where: The Best Western, 1005 S. Moorland Road, Brookfield 53005

Who: John "Dr. Rent" Fisher

Cost: This meeting is free for current AASEW members, $25 for guests or expired members

Bad things happen to good people. When a good landlord falls victim to a bad tenant, we all know the results. Dealing with bad tenants is already hard enough, but too often good landlords fall victim to their own mistakes as well. Dr. Rent will discuss the 10 most common mistakes that he has seen in over two decades as a landlord in Wisconsin. One of the best things that we can all do is learn from our mistakes, but Dr. Rent has found it wiser to learn from others.

About our speaker: John H. Fischer is a Wausau, Wisconsin area landlord. He started working part-time with Emmerich & Associates, Inc. in 1993 and since then has worked in nearly every aspect of the real estate investment field. He has been involved with residential, commercial and industrial rental properties as well as vacant land sales and condominium development.

Observing a number of old and new landlords going to court and having a hard time because of their not understanding Wisconsin's complicated laws and procedures, Mr. Fischer has been making an effort to educate Landlords on the proper way to do things for over a decade, and has taught classes on everything from accounting, to proper management procedures to Landlord-Tenant law. He has provided training sessions through Lorman and Sterling educational services. He has also presented seminars to a number of local apartment associations as well as the Wisconsin Apartment Association. He offers a series of courses in real estate investing through the University of Wisconsin Continuing Education program.

Mr. Fischer holds a real estate Broker license and is past president of the Wausau Area Apartment Association and Wisconsin Apartment Association. He is a member of Wausau's Housing Code Task Force. He has degrees in International Business Management (with Honors) as well as Human Resources Management (with Honors) from the University of Wisconsin - Madison School of Business. He is also a graduate of the Bryce Harlow Institute for Business and Government Affairs, Georgetown University, Washington, DC.

You will not want to miss this meeting!!

Hope to see everyone there.

T

East Side Landlord "Think Small" Seminar Event on March 13th

Make plans to attend the fourth East Side Landlord Think Small event hosted by UWM!

This event is free and open to all interested landlords, with a special focus on Milwaukee's East Side.

This spring's event promises to be very engaging with featured presenter Attorney Tristan Pettit, who focuses his practice on representing landlords and management companies in landlord-tenant law matters.

Topics will include screening potential tenants and recent updates to landlord-tenant laws in Wisconsin.

As always, there will be networking time to share ideas with fellow attendees, Q&A time with the presenter, and light refreshments will be served.

Event Details

Date: Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Location: Chapman Hall on the UWM Campus, 2310 E Hartford Ave, Regents Room (2nd Floor)

Time: 4:30pm-6:00pm

Please RSVP to Heather Harbach at harbach@uwm.edu. Your registration helps us in our planning for this event. Please feel free to share this with other landlords that might find this session interesting! If you have further questions, please contact Heather Harbach, UWM Neighborhood Relations Liaison by e-mail at harbach@uwm.edu or by calling 414-229-4451.

Hope To See You There!

5th Annual Landlord Boot Camp Is Just Around the Corner - February 23, 2013 - Register now.

Landlording can be pretty complex, with a seemingly never ending myriad of paperwork, rules, landlord-tenant laws and simple mistakes that can cost you thousands.

The Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin's Fifth “Landlord Boot Camp” can help you navigate these treacherous waters and learn how to run your properties with greater profit and less hassles.

Who: Taught by Attorney Tristan Pettit, who drafts the landlord tenant forms for Wisconsin Legal Blank.

Attorney Tristan Pettit has given similar landlord-tenant law seminars to fellow attorneys, landlords, and property manager organizations that charge their members $300-$400. This is your opportunity to learn all of the same information at a huge discount through the Apartment Association .

When: Saturday, February 23rd 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM ---- Registration opens at 7:00 AM

Where: Clarion Hotel 5311 S. Howell Avenue, Milwaukee [Map]

Included: 100 plus page manual to help you put what you learn into practice.

Price:

Early Bird – Sign up before Feb. 13th, 2013 and save

• Members $159
• Non-Members $249

Regular Registration after Feb. 13, 2013 but before Feb. 20th, 2013

• Members $259
• Non-Members $349

Sorry, no registrations accepted after 5 PM Feb. 20th, 2013

Specials: Not a member? Pay just $1 more and enjoy a full 10 months of AASEW membership.

Wisconsin landlord-tenant laws are constantly changing. To help keep you up to date we offer prior attendees a $50 discount.

Read prior attendees' testimonials.

What you will learn at the Apartment Association's 2013 Landlord Boot camp

Landlord Boot Camp covers everything that you need to know about residential Landlord Tenant law in Wisconsin, as amended by Act 143, including:

1. How to properly screen prospective tenants.
2. How to draft written screening criteria to assist you in the selection process.
3. How to comply with both federal and state Fair Housing laws including how to comply with “reasonable modifications” and “reasonable accommodations” requests.
4. How to legally reject an applicant.
5. What rental documents you should be using and why.
6. When you should be using a 5-day notice versus a 14-day notice, 28-day notice, or 30-day notice and how to properly serve the notice on your tenant.
7. Everything you wanted to know (and probably even more than you wanted to know) about the Residential Rental Practices (ATCP 134) and how to avoid having to pay double damages to your tenant for breaching ATCP 134.
8. When you are legally allowed to enter your tenant’s apartment.
9. How to properly draft an eviction summons and complaint.
10. What to do to keep the commissioner from dismissing your eviction suit.
11. What you can legally deduct from a security deposit.
12. How to properly draft a security deposit transmittal / 21 day letter.
13. How to handle pet damage.
14. What to do with a tenant’s abandoned property and how this may affect whether or not you file an eviction suit.
15. How to pursue your ex-tenant for damages to your rental property and past due rent (and whether it is even worth it to do so).
16. An ample question and answer period. This alone is worth the admission.

    . . . and much more.

You get all this for less than you would pay for an hour of an attorney's time.

Last year’s AASEW Landlord Boot Camp was filled to capacity. So much so we even had to turn a few people away.

You can sign up online at here or call the Association at (414) 276-7378 or email us at membership@apartmentassoc.org today to reserve your spot.

Remember that “landlording” is a business — so take the time to educate yourself on how to better manage your business and avoid costly errors!

Attend AASEW's Landlord Boot Camp on October 20th and Learn All About Wisconsin Residential Landlord-Tenant Law

Due to popular demand, the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin will be holding a second Landlord Boot Camp this year on Saturday October 20, 2012. Our last Boot Camp in February had more than 80 attendees and it was necessary to turn a few away. Additionally with the passage of the new Landlord Omnibus Law (Act 143), which took effect on March 31, 2012, we felt it was necessary to offer another Boot Camp this year so everyone can stay up to date.

Landlord Boot Camp is the most comprehensive seminar that I teach on residential landlord tenant law in Wisconsin. If you have not attended a Landlord Boot Camp before I would encourage you to sign up -- I do not think you will be disappointed. If you have previously attended, please be aware that there have been several updates to both my presentation and the outline as a result of the passage of Act 143.

Here are the details for this Fall's Landlord Boot Camp:

WHEN: Saturday, October 20, 2012 from 8:30 am - 5:30 pm (registration will start at 7:30 am)

WHERE: Clarion Hotel, 5311 S. Howell Ave. in Milwaukee

WHO: Taught by yours truly - Attorney Tristan R. Pettit

COST: $159 for current members of the AASEW and $259 for non-AASEW members.

WHAT WILL I LEARN: You will learn everything that you need to know about residential landlord-tenant law in Wisconsin. Here is a detailed outline of the topics that will be covered.

WHAT IS INCLUDED: (1) A detailed manual containing Tristan's outline of all of the topics discussed as well as sample forms, (2) Q & A session, (3) Lunch, (4) Coffee, soda and other light refreshments throughout the day, (5) Certificate of Attendance/Completion, (6) and the opportunity to mix and mingle with other landlords and property managers.

WHAT HAVE OTHER ATTENDEES SAID ABOUT LANDLORD BOOT CAMP: Here are some past attendees' testimonials.

HOW TO REGISTER: The easiest way to register is to go to www.LandlordBootCamp2012.com. You may also call (414) 755-0852 to register.

I hope to see you all there!

Thanks

T

AASEW Annual Landlord Trade Show - Wednesday September 19, 2012

It is that time of year again . . . time for the leaves to start falling and the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin to host its Annual Trade Show. The AASEW Trade Show is the place to be on Wednesday, September 19, 2012 from 11 am - 5 pm. The Trade Show will be held at American Serb Hall at 5101 W. Oklahoma Avenue in Milwaukee, WI.

Entrance to the event is free with a donation of 3 non-perishable food items to the Hunger Task Force (or $4). Collection bins will be on-site.

There is no need to pre-register just show up ready to learn and have some fun. Oh, did I mention that there will be free food as well.

Come mix and mingle with landlords, property managers, and vendors that work with those is the rental industry. The Exhibit Hall will have AASEW business members who will be exhibiting their products and services to make your life as a landlord or rental property manager easier.

We will also have educational seminars throughout the day that you will not want to miss.

Some of the speakers will include:

- Margaret Bowitz of the Metropolitan Fair Housing Council will speak on the ever-important topic of fair housing (discrimination) law.

- Wausau-area landlord (and fellow blogger) John "Dr. Rent" Fischer will talk about the To 5 Most Asked Landlord Questions.

- Charles Harris of Credit Matters will provide attendees with Seven Steps To Better Credit.

- Graig Goldman and Mark Kivley of Re/Max Lakeside will teach everyone how to effectively purchase foreclosure properties

- Attorney Tristan Pettit will talk about Act 143: Wisconsin's New Landlord Omnibus Law focusing on the new provisions and their potential pitfalls as well as how the courts have been ruling on the new law these last few month.

I hope that you all can attend this educational and fun event next Wednesday. If you do please be sure and come up and say hello.

T

Last Chance To Sign Up For AASEW's Landlord Boot Camp 2012

Hi Everyone:

We have had a very good response to our ads for the AASEW’s 4^th Annual Landlord Boot Camp. So much so that seats are quickly running out . . . or we may need to consider adding a second seminar shortly after the first.

If you are interested in attending this year’s Boot Camp on Saturday, Feb, 25^th, I would strongly suggest that you register here.

I will be presenting this all-day seminar (8:30 am – 5:30 pm) at the Clarion Hotel located at 5311 S. Howell Avenue.

I will be teaching you everything you need to know legally to be a residential landlord or property manager.

Here are what past attendees said about Landlord Boot Camp.

We will cover topics such as:

- How to screen applicants

- How to avoid discrimination issues and better understand fair housing laws

- How to draft legal screening criteria

- How to legally reject an applicant

- How to spot an applicant that is “fronting” for another applicant that won’t qualify to rent from you

- What rental documents you should be using and why

- The Residential Rental Practices (Wisconsin Administrative Code ATCP 134) and what can happen to you if you violate any of these 21 regulations.

- What are the “7 Deadly Sins” and why you cannot include them in your rental agreement

- What is the best way to evict a tenant and how to accomplish this

- What are the different choices a landlord has when deciding what type of notice to serve a tenant

- How to serve a tenant a notice so that service cannot be attacked in court

- How to navigate your way through the judicial eviction process

- What evidence you must present at an eviction trial to prevail

- What to do with a tenant’s abandoned property

- How to draft a legal security deposit transmittal letter

- How to collect for past due rent and damage from an ex-tenant (or should you even bother pursuing this)

. . . and much more.

All attendees will also receive a 100 page + manual (with lots of sample forms) to refer to in your business when the seminar has faded from your memory : )

Attendees will also receive a free lunch on the day of the seminar.

Cost is $159 for members of the AASEW, $249 for non-AASEW members (you can join the AASEW for an additional $1), $199 for members of any landlord or apartment association. Past attendees will receive a discount for attending again.

Register online or by calling the AASEW at 414-276-7378.

I hope to see all of you there!!!!

T

You Will Not Want To Miss AASEW's Fourth Annual Landlord Boot Camp on Saturday Feb. 25th

Landlording can be pretty complex, with a seemingly never ending myriad of paperwork, rules, landlord-tenant laws and simple mistakes that can cost you thousands of dollars.

The Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin's Fourth Annual “Landlord Boot Camp” can help you navigate these treacherous waters and teach you how to run your properties with greater profit and less hassles.

I have given similar landlord-tenant law seminars to fellow attorneys, landlords, and property manager organizations throughout the state for other state-wide semianr companies that charge attendees $300-$400. This is your opportunity to learn all of the same information at a huge discount through the Apartment Association.

Who: Taught by Attorney Tristan R. Pettit (who drafts the landlord tenant forms for Wisconsin Legal Blank)

When: Saturday, February 25th, 2012. 8:30 am – 5 pm

Where: Clarion Hotel 5311 S. Howell Avenue, Milwaukee [Map]

Included: 100 plus page manual/outline to help you put what you learn into practice plus helpful forms.

Cost: $159 for AASEW members and $249 for non-members. If you are not a member of AASEW but are a member of another landlord/apartment association the cost to attend will be $199.

Specials: Not a member? Pay just a dollar more and enjoy a 2012 AASEW membership.

Wisconsin landlord-tenant laws are constantly changing. To help keep you up to date we offer prior attendees a $50 discount.

Sign up by going to the AASEW's Landlord Boot Camp landing page where you can sign up online and pay via PayPal.

What you will learn at the Apartment Association's 2012 Landlord Boot Camp

Landlord Boot Camp covers everything that you need to know about residential Landlord Tenant law in Wisconsin, including:

1. How to properly screen prospective tenants.
2. How to draft written screening criteria to assist you in the selection process and protect you from discrimination complaints.
3. How to comply with both federal and state Fair Housing laws including how to handle with “reasonable modifications” and “reasonable accommodations” requests.
4. How to legally reject an applicant.
5. What rental documents you should be using and why.
6. When you should be using a 5-day notice versus a 14-day notice, 28-day notice, or 30-day notice and how to properly serve the notice on your tenant.
7. Everything you wanted to know (and probably even more than you wanted to know) about the Residential Rental Practices (ATCP 134) and how to avoid having to pay double damages to your tenant for breaching ATCP 134.
8. When you are legally allowed to enter your tenant’s apartment.
9. How to properly draft an eviction summons and complaint.
10. What to do to keep the commissioner from dismissing your eviction suit.
11. What you can legally deduct from a security deposit.
12. How to properly draft a security deposit transmittal / 21 day letter.
13. How to handle pet damage.
14. What to do with a tenant’s abandoned property and how this may affect whether or not you file an eviction suit.
15. How to pursue your ex-tenant for damages to your rental property and past due rent (and whether it is even worth it to do so).

. . . and much more. There will also be time for questions and answers.

You get all this for less than you would pay for an hour of an attorney's time.

Last year’s AASEW Landlord Boot Camp was filled to capacity and we even had to turn a few people away. So call early to reserve your spot.

Call the Association at (414) 276-7378, email membership@apartmentassoc.org or go to our Landlord Boot Camp landing page to sign up online and reserve your spot.

Remember that “landlording” is a business — so take the time to educate yourself on how to better manage your business and avoid costly errors!

Don't Miss the 2nd Annual East Side Landlord Think Small Conference on Wednesday November 9, 2011

I will be the featured speaker at the upcoming East Side Landlord Think Small Conference on Wednesday, November 9, 2011 from 3 pm - 6:30 pm at UW-Milwaukee, Chapman Hall located at 2310 E. Hartford Avenue, in the Regent's Room on the 2nd floor.

This conference is FREE to any and all interested landlords, with a special focus on Milwaukee's East Side landlords.

This conference is composed of 3 componants:

1. Featured Speaker - I will be speaking on the issues of "Causes for Eviction and Termination of Tenancy" and "Notices Terminating Tenancy." You will learn about the 4 basic notices that can be served on a residential tenant in Wisconsin (5 day, 14 day, 28 day and 30 day notices) and when you should be using each notice and why. While no one wants to have to evict a tenant . . . sometimes it is necessary. At the very least, landlords need to become comfortable with the various notice that can be served on a tenant when a tenant breaches his/her rental agreement or the landlord wants to terminate the tenant's tenancy. I will also discuss the proper way to serve a tenant with one of these notices. I will be handing out a detailed 11 page outline on this topic that attendees can take home to refer to when needed in the future. Examples of properly drafted 5 day, 14 day, 28 day, and 30 day notices will also be distributed.

2. Round Table Discussion - This discussion will include a panel of UW-Milwaukee staff, City of Milwaukee staff, myself, and others and will focus on local topics and common problems that East Side landlords encounter.

3. Panel of Experts - The panel will be comprised of members of the Milwaukee Police Department, Campus Police Department, Department of Public Works, Department of Neighborhood Services, and UW-Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Housing and who will field any questions that you may have.

There will also be time to network with other landlords.

If you are interested in attending please RSVP to Heather Harbach, UW-Milwaukee Neighborhood Relations Liason at (414) 229-4451 or harbach@uwm.edu. You can also register for the event by clicking here.

I hope to see everyone there!!

FREE Landlord-Tenant Law Seminar - September 24th, 2011

I wanted to let you know about a FREE landlord-tenant law seminar that I will be presenting for the City of Milwaukee on Saturday, September 24, 2011.

The seminar will start at 9am and run through 11:30 am or so. It will be held at the Anderson Building which is located at 4001 S. 6^th Street – 3^rd floor in Milwaukee.

I will be covering three main topics:

1. Causes for Eviction (including the 5 day, 14 day, 28 day and 30 day notice and under what circumstances you can serve each one)
2. Notices Terminating Tenancy (how to draft them properly and how to serve them legally)
3. The Judicial Eviction Process (everything you need to know about how to draft and file an eviction lawsuit and what you will need to present to the court to

   prove your eviction as well as your collection of past-due rent, damages,

   holdover damages etc.)

If you are interested in attending this seminar pre-registration is required so you will need to contact Jeanne Hagner at (414)286-2954 or jhagne@milwaukee.gov

It is necessary that you register so that we can insure that there will be enough outlines and handouts for everyone.

I hope to see many of you there.

AASEW's 2011 Landlord Tradeshow To Be Held September 28th at Serb Hall

The Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin’s (AASEW) Annual Rental Property/Real Estate Professionals Tradeshow on September 28th,

at Serb Hall in Milwaukee! Our exhibit hall will be open from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. check out the latest in products and services

for the rental property industry!

Our seminars will run from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Seminars include:

- Bedbug Litigation for Landlords, presented by Attorney Tristan R. Pettit

- Organize your Year End Financials, presented by Tim Nolan, CPA, Nolan Accounting

- Project Impact, presented by Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan

- Quickbooks Introduction for Landlords, presented by Kelli Belt, CPA, Maynard and Belt

- Buying and Selling Rental Property for Investors, presented by Brian Meidam, Co-Founder LocalREI Coach/Plan B Homebuyers and Andrew Kaplan, Principal of Kapital Real Estate

- Top Ten Mistakes Landlord Make and How to Avoid Them, presented by John Fischer, AKA Dr. Rent

And many more seminars and workshops this year, you don't want to miss it!

Admission is FREE, Seminars are FREE, Exhibit Hall is FREE, Appetizers are FREE.

Great opportunity to network with others in the rental property FREE, all with a donation of 4 non-perishable food items or a donation to Second Harvest/Feeding America!!! Last year we raised over 600 pounds of food, this year our goal is 1000 pounds to help our community!

Click here for the registration form!

Don't Miss Bed Bug Boot Camp on June 28th, 2011

In response to the unprecedented spike in the resurgence of of bed bugs in the past year, Wil-Kil Pest Control is offerring a Bed Bug Boot Camp. From pest identification to the legal ramifications of bed bugs, both sessions offer property owners and managers the tools they need to effectively respond to the threat of bed bugs and includes a Bed Bug Canine Scent Detection Demonstration.

Click here to see the Bed Bug Boot Camp flyer.

The Milwaukee seminar will take place on June 28th, 2011 from 1 pm - 4:30 pm at the Radisson Hotel Milwaukee West at 2303 N. Mayfair Road in Milwaukee.

I will be speaking at the Milwaukee session on the legal ramifications of bed bugs nto landlords and property managers. Specifically, I will discuss the requirement that landlords provide tenants with a habitable rental property, local ordinances regarding extermination issues, and how a landlord and/or property manager can best prepare themselves to deal with any legal issues that may arise from a bed bug infestation.

There is no cost to attend the seminar. You must however, preregister for the seminar by going to Wil-Kil's website.

There will also be a Bed Bug Boot Camp in the Madison area on June 30, 2001 from 1 pm - 4:30 pm at the Hilton Garden Inn Madison (West) at 1801 Deming Way in Middleton. Atty. Jay Koritzinsky will be speaking on the legal aspects of bed bugs at this session.

This will be a very timely and informative seminar that will be well worth your time. Hope to see you all there.